Brewing Up A Better Menu
Some folks fret about making that perfect marriage between food and wine.
But drinking beer with dinner doesn’t require such hand-wringing.
“People are much more casual about what beer they drink with their food,” said Dale Yates, the chef at The Birkebeiner Brewing Co. in Spokane. “They would rather just drink something they like.”
Yates’ menu at the downtown brewpub (35 W. Main, 458-0854) was designed to bring out the best in the selection of house beers. The offerings touch on all parts of the globe, from the New Orleans-influenced jambalaya and gumbo to the California-style pastas to the old-fashioned bratwurst. Daily specials might include Indian or Moroccan dishes.
“I didn’t want get tied down to any one theme,” said Yates, who created the original menu in just a week.
The 38-year-old Spokane native credits his father with igniting his interest in cooking.
“When my dad started cooking for the railroad work crews, he also started doing a lot of the cooking at home,” Yates said. “I thought that was interesting because it went against the traditional upbringing.”
Yates worked for fast-food restaurants as a kid but later earned a degree as an accountant.
“I went to California to do the big-city thing, but I just didn’t like being locked in a room with a computer. I like being with people,” he said.
He got a restaurant job in Oakland, which gave him enough experience to land a post at St. Mary’s Lodge at Glacier National Park. He worked there four summer seasons, with winters spent at ski resorts.
“In Sun Valley, I worked at this traditional Italian restaurant where they made everything from scratch, which was a real learning experience,” Yates said.
He remains committed to cooking from scratch, using fresh ingredients to make salsas that go with the black bean cakes and making soup stocks the traditional way instead of opening a can, or a bag of powdered bouillon.
“It actually works out to be more economical, especially with the equipment available these days,” he said.
One kitchen helper Yates often reaches for is the hand mixer. He recommends it to home chefs for smoothing soups while they’re still simmering in the pot, making quick whipped toppings or finishing sauces on the stovetop.
Not surprisingly, Yates incorporates beer into many of his recipes. He likes cream ales for lighter recipes and in rich soups and uses an unfinished doppelbock - a dark, strong beer - in some desserts.
“I cook down the wort (the malt mixture before hops are added) and use it as a substitute for molasses in cookies and brownies,” he said.
Yates suggested experimenting with beer in stir-fries, sauces or “anything where you would normally use wine or vinegar.”
As for making that perfect beer and food match, Yates said his personal favorites are pairing the Birk’s hot chili ale with a wild mushroom pasta and plopping a scoop of ice cream into some stout for a float.
“It might sound strange, but it’s really good,” he said.
Birkebeiner Fish Fajitas With Tomatillo Guacamole
Yates realizes that some people have an aversion to cilantro, but he likes the subtle flavor it brings to a dish. Of course, he said its inclusion in the guacamole is optional.
3 tablespoons olive oil
1-1/2 cups sliced bell peppers (a mixture of red and green)
3/4 cup red onions, sliced
1-1/2 pounds firm white fish, such as halibut or cod, cut into strips
1/3 cup light ale or lager
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
4 large flour tortillas
Tomatillo Guacamole (recipe follows)
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.
Add the onions and peppers and saute for 1 or 2 minutes.
Add the fish, spices and beer and cook until the fish is done, approximately 3 minutes.
Remove from heat and serve immediately in warm flour tortillas with tomatillo guacamole.
Yield: 4 servings.
Nutrition information per serving, including guacamole: 545 calories, 26 grams fat (43 percent fat calories), 73 milligrams cholesterol, 43 grams carbohydrate, 9 grams dietary fiber, 38 grams protein, 296 milligrams sodium.
Tomatillo Guacamole
2 large, ripe avocados
22 ounces canned tomatillos (available at larger supermarkets)
1 cup diced red onion
1 bunch cilantro, washed and finely chopped (optional)
4 tablespoons lime juice
1 large jalapeno, finely diced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Seed avocados, scrape out the flesh and place it in a food processor, along with the tomatillos; puree. Place in a large mixing bowl and blend in the rest of the ingredients.
Chef du Jour is a monthly feature of IN Food that profiles area chefs and provides one of their recipes for readers to try at home.
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